Such a hedge trimmer as propose in Japanese Patent Application Publication No. 2002-172568 has hitherto been known as a power tool. The hedge trimmer comprises a housing, a motor, a main handle unit, a front handle, and two cutting blades (hereinafter called “blades”). The motor is incorporated in the main receptacle of the housing and receives electric power through a power-supply cord. The main handle unit is provided at the rear of the main receptacle. The blades are arranged in front of the main receptacle, and reciprocate in opposite directions through a drive mechanism that is driven by the motor.
The main handle unit and front handle have a main switch lever and a front switch lever each. If the user holds the main handle unit with one hand and the front handle with the other hand, and then turns on the both switch levers together, the motor drives the blades to reciprocate in opposite directions.
Thus, the motor is driven in the hedge trimmer only if both the switch levers are turned on, reciprocating the blades in opposite directions, thereby preventing the hedge trimmer from working in a wrong manner.